Mobile computing device users often conduct payment transactions with their mobile computing device at physical merchant locations. To receive information about the user, such as user payment information, the merchant system must employ a computing device capable of communicating with the user's mobile computing device. The merchant system must further communicate the transaction information to a payment processing system, such as a credit card network, digital wallet provider, or other financial transaction system.
Some merchant systems require vendors or other merchant operators to be mobile. For example, a food vendor at a sporting or music venue may conduct purchase transactions while moving about the venue. In another example, a vendor may sell items door-to-door and desire to conduct transactions at the location of the user. Because of the needed mobility, conventional merchant systems require the vendor to carry a computing device to conduct the purchase transaction with the user. Yet carrying such a device can be costly for vendors. A vendor may have to purchase a mobile phone and any associated transaction processing hardware, for example, to conduct purchase transactions for the merchant system. For some vendors, purchasing such items may be cost prohibitive.